After They Were Famous
by Martha and Squirrel
Summary: Sequel to 'Wrongs Darker Than Death or Night'. Severus and Florence muddle through...
1. Chapter 1

After they were Famous – Part 1

A/N: This is sequel to _Wrongs Darker than Death or Night_ and will probably not make a lot of sense if you have not read that story.

We started writing a long time ago so the story only follows the events of the first four HP books. We have taken inspiration from some little things later in the series, but it is all obviously now the property of an alternate universe.  Any reviews are greatly appreciated.

8888

Florence made her way up the spiral steps to Professor Dumbledore's office on Sunday morning. She and Severus had enjoyed breakfast together in the kitchens and she had had to drag herself away for her appointment with the headmaster. She regretted having agreed to the meeting, the tug to be with Severus was making her feel as though she had left something important behind. Florence wondered how she would manage to force herself out of the dungeons in the morning to go back upstairs and teach her classes. It didn't feel like they had had long enough just to exist together. She stood in front of the door for a moment, composing her emotions before knocking.

"Come in," came the unmistakable voice of Albus Dumbledore.

Florence turned the door handle and was greeted by the familiar warmth and lemony smell of the headmaster's office. He had his head in the grate and appeared to be calling a house elf.

"Take a seat my dear; we are just waiting for Branson before we get started."

Florence felt her brow crease into a frown. He hadn't mentioned that Branson would be here. Was she losing her job? No, it had only been a couple of weeks since she assumed responsibility for Ravenclaw and Filbert Flitwick would be gone on his travels after Christmas. Her fears eased slightly by logic, Florence sat in one of the chairs in front of the Dumbledore's desk.

There was another knock at the door. "Come in."

Branson came in and took the other chair next to the desk.

A house-elf popped into existence next to the headmaster and he wasted no time in ordering up a plate of sausage and red-onion relish sandwiches. "Can I get anything for you?" He enquired of his two professors.

"Just tea thanks." Florence requested, having already breakfasted.

"If there's any coffee...?" Branson smiled hopefully and said in an undertone to Florence "There never is when I ask, but somehow Albus can always persuade them to find some."

Florence smiled at him.

Branson regarded her carefully for a moment and then smiled widely back.

Clearing his throat, Professor Dumbledore took his seat opposite them. "Florence, as you may or may not be aware, Branson is my eyes and ears in the Department of Mysteries." He began.

"You're an unspeakable?" She turned to Branson in surprise, cutting the headmaster off.

"I'm many things." Branson winked.

"He has asked me if he might be able to stay on at Hogwarts." Dumbledore continued. "I am loathed to mess the students around anymore than I have already." The headmaster paused to take ownership of his sandwiches and hand the other professors their beverages.

Branson reached out for his cup of coffee and hugged it with his hands, staring into the cup as if it were filled with liquid gold. Florence could not contain another smile.

"Florence, I was hoping that you would consent to two things for me." He continued, sniffing a sandwich and then pausing to nibble it.

"What can I do, short of give up my post?" She looked from one man to the other, hoping that wasn't what they were getting at.

"Well... up until three years ago, Alistor Moody was my trusted confidant within the Auror office. Sadly, he is no longer up to the task. I was hoping that you would consent to continuing to share your timetable with Professor Leggett and spending the rest of your time keeping an eye on things for me at the Ministry of Magic." He polished off a second triangular sandwich with relish. "I wouldn't want to take you away from your duties as the new Head of Ravenclaw, so you will not be expected to spend an undue amount of time away from the castle. We can discuss the finer points at your convenience."

Florence again found herself looking from one man to the other. She enjoyed working with Branson, he was a very supportive person to have around. She felt as though she had known him forever although it hadn't even been three months. Although he would never say it, Severus didn't hate him either. Heather had spoken highly of Branson too; she even went as far as attributing her snagging of Sirius to Branson's help. Florence nodded "I would be honoured." She found herself saying as she sipped her tea.

"I'm delighted." The Headmaster beamed. "I can finally get the both of you onto long-term contracts." Albus turned to a cabinate behind his desk and began rifling through its contents.

"Branson, are you a Commodo Wizard?" Florence felt the pieces in her mind click.

There was a stillness in the room that felt like it had a personality of its own. Branson paused with his coffee cup half way to his mouth and the headmaster sat up straight, whatever he had been doing forgotten.

Branson's violet eyes looked to Dumbledore uncertainly. The Headmaster nodded to him. "How did you know?"

Florence wondered what it had been that had tipped her off. "Over the last two months you have felt like a guardian angel." She admitted. "You know just what I need to hear, and have a way with Severus even I can't compete with." Florence gave the headmaster a sideways glance. "Heather said that you talked to her for two minutes and knew that she was sad and exactly how to help her with Sirius. She said you knew just how to get to him and she didn't have to tell you much at all." Florence supposed it was Branson's way with _everyone_ that had told her he wasn't ordinary.

"I didn't think I had been that obvious." Branson looked uncomfortable and looked to the Headmaster again.

"Branson is one of only three Commodo wizards known to exist at this time." Professor Dumbledore explained.

"I find it makes people wary of befriending me." He admitted. "Everyone doubts whether I truly enjoy their company."

"I don't know much about them." Florence admitted. "I only know what I have read, but there isn't much available on the subject."  
"Enough to make a diagnosis." Branson was uncharacteristically subdued. "I naturally pick up on the emotions of those around me and respond accordingly. It's completely subconscious." He told her. "I react how they need me to. It doesn't always feel that way though."

"How many people know?" Florence wondered.

"Only yourself and Albus at Hogwarts."

"Oh..." Florence felt like she had made an imposition. "I won't tell anyone." She assured.

"Don't feel bad about it." He smiled slightly. "It's usually the people I feel most affection for that figure me out."

Florence was slightly taken aback by the admission, "affection?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I didn't mean anything romantic." He clarified hastily. "I have come to consider Severus and yourself good friends." He explained. "When I was teaching here before I didn't like to spend time with Severus at first, he turns me into such an Ass-hole." His brain catching up with his speech, Branson blushed. "Sorry Headmaster." He added in an undertone.

Florence grinned. It had never occurred to her that the bumbling, forehead slapping-ly inappropriate Branson that always seemed to surface around Severus was just the sort of direct and no-nonsense personality that he needed in a friend.

"I have grown fond of him though, and just have to trust that whatever personality comes to the forefront in his presence will be the right one, no matter how much I might feel like a git... or how angry it makes him."

"I know he likes you." Florence assured. "He wouldn't be so creative with his insults if he didn't."

"You and he...?" Banson began.

Florence felt unsure and looked at her hands. Severus wouldn't want her up here gossiping about them with the castles two biggest busy-boddies. It was all too new and raw.

"You don't have to tell me." Branson hastily reached out a hand and put it on the arm of her chair. "It's none of my business, as Severus would delight in telling me." His smile was so warm and understanding that Florence beamed back at him, hoping that would be communication enough.

Branson's face broke into a grin as well. "It's alright, isn't it?" His question was unmistakably rhetorical. He touched her shoulder and stood. "I think I have imposed on the two of you long enough, I'll let you both get on with your days." Branson offered Florence his hand to help her stand.

"That's alright, Bran, I have something I would like to talk to the Headmaster about myself. That is, if you have time?" She turned hopefully to the older wizard.

"Of course, my dear," he assured her with a smile. "Thank you Professor Leggett, be assured that your secret will not leave this room." He added to Branson as the Irishman left the office.

"Professor, why did you bring me here last year?" Florence asked, getting straight to the point.

"Why you, or why at that time?" He poured them both more tea.

"Both." Florence hadn't thought of it as two questions, but was now equally intrigued to hear both answers.

"As you know, the post of Defence against the dark art professor has been a difficult one to fill. I have reason to believe it was jinxed by Lord Voldemort. That is the reason I never gave the job to Severus. Those that have held the post have been dealt some unfortunate fates." He explained slowly. "I had reason to believe that once Voldemort was finally destroyed, the post could be filled permanently. I was hopeful that point would come this summer, as you know that it did. I was hoping that either yourself, who was in post, or professor Leggett, who was instrumental in the fall of Voldemort, would assume the post permanently. As it turned out, my carefully laid plans worked rather too well and Hogwarts has ended up with two professors. This is also fortunate for me, as I get two very useful views on the Ministry of Magic at the same time." He explained. "Quite simply, I brought you here as soon as I thought it was safe to do so."

"You had been putting off bringing me here?" Florence wondered just how long her fate had been at the whim of this eccentric old man.

"You understand me." He said simply.

But it wasn't that simple. "And you wanted me here because of my connections in the Ministry of Magic, My reputation against the Dark Arts or my connection to Severus?" That was the real question she had been asking.

Professor Dumbledore sat back in his chair and regarded her. "I bring few professors here for just one reason."

Florence found his non-committal statement infuriating. "Then what was the reason you put off bringing me here?"

"Now that question has a much more telling answer." He sighed and stood up, moving to look out of his office window. "I assume from your earlier question that you know why Severus chose to leave Voldemort's service?" He enquired.

"Yes." Florence didn't like the rising implication that she had been played like a chess piece by this venerable old wizard. Florence also wondered why the headmaster felt entitled to talk so freely about Severus with her. Did he know that they had spent the weekend together?

It occurred to her that the hushed conversation she had witnessed with the house elf when she came in may have been about more than breakfast. Albus did appear to know every facet of what was happening at Hogwarts. Florence could even remember him giving her a few knowing looks when she had been a pupil. The house elves must keep him up to date on the private lives of everyone in the castle. She felt rather violated. In the last year, had he known every night whether or not Severus had been in her bed? The realisation was accompanied by a fierce sense of injustice. Albus may have done Severus an incredible favour once, but no one had the right to that level of voyeurism.

Dumbledore didn't speak for almost a minute. "I sent the first man I ever loved to prison." He told her. "Thirty years later I was presented with a young man who had also done atrocious things, but his love for another appeared to have saved him." The Headmasters voice was quiet but Florence found herself captured in his words. "I could not send Severus to the same fate. There is hope for anyone with a heart capable of such emotion."

Florence knew that Dumbledore had told no one else this, not even Severus himself.

"I hoped I could help him find solace here, but he has never fully forgiven himself for the things he did as a Death Eater." Albus returned to his chair. "I think he has always considered you his salvation. I was hoping that by bringing you here, he would finally see that it was he who saved himself. I was hoping that you would help him find forgiveness."

There was another long pause. Fawkes shuffled along his perch but didn't appear to wake up. "As for why I put it off...? I knew that if I brought you here, to that job, and something happened to you, as it so nearly did, that Severus would never forgive me." Dumbledore leaned back. "Like all men, I fear hurting those that I hold dear, and I do hold Severus very dear. While I am not certain that he fully forgives himself yet, you have done a far greater thing than I ever anticipated. You appear to have renewed him with a love I can only guess about." He leant forward and took her hand in his. "And a far better place Hogwarts is for your contribution." He added.

Florence found herself smiling again, her irritation at his meddling almost forgotten.

"I hope that answers your questions. I do not always find it easy to be as direct as I should be."

8888

Following a morning of almost unprecedented discovery, Florence tired early and was pleased to retire to bed with Severus. Just her third night in the dungeons, she hadn't expected a disturbed one so soon. Severus woke in distress and he and Florence found themselves slipping back into an old and comforting routine. She joined him in the bath after reluctantly sending for a house-elf to fetch them both clean night clothes and bring warm towels. She had toyed with the idea of forbidding the house elf to speak of it, but wasn't certain of her authority over them. Making a mental note to clarify the house elf situation with Minerva McGonagall, Florence dimmed the candle light in the bathroom.

The familiarity of their routine was more comforting than she had expected. They washed one another quietly in the half light. She found that she had so much more empathy for him and his nightmares since the joining of the subconscious minds.

Florence was surprised when Severus said "I need to take the sleeping draft."

Not only was this usually a silent ritual, but she had never expected Severus to want to take the potion. "Severus?"

"Not much, just enough to get me to the morning." His long fingers found hers in the water. "I'm exhausted." He sighed, leaning forward to rest his head on her shoulder.

Florence bit her bottom lip, bringing her free hand up to cup the back of his head. "Are you sure?" She whispered.

He sighed again. "I want to be able to spend time with you. I'm going to struggle to even teach my classes tomorrow if this continues."

They sat quietly in the warm water together for several minutes.

"Come on," Florence murmured to him. "Lets get you back to bed."

She climbed out of the water and went to check if the house-elf had been back. There was a pile of large towels on the bottom of the bed along with clean attire, fetched from her rooms on the third floor. She threw on her own robe, hastily added another log to the fire and returned to the warmth of the bathroom, holding out a towel for him. Seeing him get out of the bath, the reality of his words hit her; he really was in a state of exhaustion. His eyes were hollowed and his sharp features more exaggerated than ever, the frown line between his eyebrows like an angry gash.

As they got back under the covers she couldn't imagine ever having sent him away, although she knew in her heart of hearts that she had needed to do it at the time. He had done things, horrible things, but he was paying for them every day of his life.

Severus picked up the sleeping draft from next to the bed and handed it to her. Florence wondered why he wanted her to dose him, but he interrupted her thoughts. "I don't want to take it, but I don't know what else to do." He looked despairing.

Florence had to ask. "Why does it bother you so?"

His black eyes met hers with an honesty that still caught her off guard, even after the last few days. "When I first started teaching at Hogwarts, I couldn't sleep. It became a problem and Poppy began giving me doses of the sleeping draft." His eyes flickered from the bottle in her hands and back to her face. "After a while, I started to brew it for myself. If I wasn't teaching or expected in the Great Hall, I would sleep." He admitted. "Albus noticed when I began to neglect my Slytherins."

Florence felt like she had had more revelations that day than anyone should be allowed in twenty four hours. But it had left her feeling fiercely protective of him.

"If you don't want to take it, we'll find another way." Florence was determined. They would be happy and healthy if it was the last thing she achieved.

Severus shook his head. "I don't want to sleep my days away anymore. I haven't for a year." They sat, looking at each other for a long moment. "It is still an unpleasant memory though. Now I just want to sleep enough."

Florence wished there was a way that she could protect from his disturbed sleep, some way that she could promise him that if he were to drop off, it would be alright. Held by those tired, honest eyes, Florence leaned in to him until their noses touched. "Whatever you ask me to do, I will." She whispered.

His hand caught hers and he turned his head to nuzzle at her neck, and then rested his head on her shoulder again. "Just enough potion to get me to the morning."

"Ok." Florence encouraged him to give her room to make the measurement, she used the bottle top to make a rough dosage that would only give him aided sleep for three or four hours and handed it to him.

Severus swallowed the sleeping draft without enthusiasm. Taking the bottle back from Florence, he replaced the cap and set it down next to the bed with finality.

Florence slid down in the bed and held out her arms for him. If he had to sleep drugged, he would do it in her arms. The gratitude on his face stripped away the last of her defences.

Realising that a lot had been shared with her that day, Florence decided to confide something to Severus in the few minutes she still had left before he would succumb to the sleeping draft. "It was difficult to leave you this morning. I don't know how I'm going to cope with teaching tomorrow." Not only had she neglected to give her classes a second thought, but the tug to be with Severus had never been stronger.

"I'll come straight to you at the end of the day." His long nose nudged against her breast.

"Severus, I don't want you to come to my rooms anymore. You have your library and laboratory down here, upstairs is just a room with no one in it."

"Then you should collect some things and come down here." His long fingers curled around her robe and he tried to nuzzle closer.

Florence lay and listened to his breathing for what felt like an eternity. She could sense his frayed nerves with every exhale. Finally it began to slow, and with a sigh of relief she breathed "I love you" against the top of his head, wanting it to be the last thing he heard.

8888

Forty-five minutes after his last pupil had left detention, Severus found himself still waiting for Florence. After rushing back to his chambers to make sure there was tea made and logs on the fire for when she arrived, he was becoming fractious at her absence. Rising from his chair, crossing the room and yanking the door open in one fluid movement he was confronted by the slightly smug face of Branson Leggett, violet eyes twinkling worse than the headmaster's usually did.

"What are you doing here?"

"Not looking for a friendly welcome, so don't trouble yourself." Branson brushed off Severus' rudeness with a wave of his hand. "I have a message from a beautiful woman to ease your mood."

Severus couldn't believe that Florence would send this imbecile to see him.

"Hang on, how did you know I was here, I didn't even knock?" Branson frowned.

"I didn't. Contrary to popular belief I cannot see through solid oak." Severus was rapidly losing his patience. "Now, give me the message and leave." He commanded, as he would with one of his slower pupils.

"Blimey, she's not done your conversational skills any good."

Severus' hand twitched at his side as he fought the urge to pin Branson to the dungeon wall and make him talk. He settled for waiting patiently. Branson's brain would catch up with his mouth sooner or later.

Branson was pleased to note that in the room behind Severus there was now a glowing fire and what looked like a couple more sticks of comfortable furniture. Remembering himself, Branson looked up to see the much less comforting countenance of his friend. "Florence asked if I would tell you she would be late. Apparently there was an issue with one of her Ravenclaws..." Branson felt as though he should say more. "I know that Filbert was with her... so I shouldn't think she'll be too long." He slowed, suddenly feeling awkward.

Branson thought that "Thank you" would have been the natural response to his conveyed message. But now they had both stood there for far too long without saying anything. He awkwardly drummed his fingers on his thigh and said, "Well, I'll be going then..."

Severus stepped back inside his chambers and slammed the door.

Still shaking his head as he made his way down the fourth floor corridor, Branson almost ran into Florence. "Oh, Bran," She stopped in her tracks. "Did you see Severus?"

Raising his eyebrows, Branson gave her a weak smile. "Yeah, I saw him."

"Thanks so much. I've still not managed to make it back to my rooms after class; I'm going to have to go straight to the Great Hall for dinner." She confided. "Was Severus ok?"

"Oh, you know Severus. Never one to show a lot of thanks, he yelled at me and slammed a door in my face." Branson instantly felt bad for griping to Severus' lover and visibly winced.

"Do you put your foot in your mouth by accident, or just to make me think you're adorable?" Florence tried to make him feel better.

"If only I had that level of awareness." Branson sighed. "I'm just nipping to the owlery before dinner; I'll see you in the Great Hall." He made a vague goodbye gesture and continued down the corridor. Florence wondered briefly what had made him so subdued. He could usually be relied upon to provide all the light relief.

Florence hurried to back to her chambers. Tizanne, her owl, was asleep on her perch, a note still around her leg. Florence went over to her and tried to untie in gently so as not to wake the sleeping bird. Tucking the letter inside her robes, Florence set about selecting some more clothes. She enlarged her rag-bag and set about stuffing it with essentials. She went to hastily raid the bathroom; it was already a quarter past six.

Shrinking her bag of things and stowing it away in the folds of her teaching robes, Florence left her chambers, briefly glanced behind her before locking the door and headed for the Great Hall.

Cursing her new role as head of Ravenclaw for keeping her from Severus, Florence hurried down the steps into the entrance hall. At the same time, she was thankful for Filbert's presence until the end of term, he had volunteered to stay with her injured student until their parents arrived. Stepping through the doors into the Great Hall, she silently thanked Filbert again; his seat next to Severus was empty.

Sitting herself as casually as possible, Florence reached for the nearest jug of pumpkin juice to fill her glass.

"I didn't realise you would be usurping Filbert's Chair as well as his job."

"You snooze, you lose." Florence smiled to herself at Severus acerbic comment. Adding in an undertone "I'm pleased to see you too, by the way."

"What kept you?"

"Little Louise Figeon in first year had the most disastrous flying lesson, last period." Florence began, "she lost control of her broom and ended up nose diving into the lake. One of the lake creatures must have got to her as it took Hazel and Hagrid twenty minutes to find her and pull her out. One of her class mates was sent to find me so I could contact her parents; she has a broken leg and is utterly terrified."

Florence was pleased to note that although Severus didn't put much food onto his plate, what he did dish out, he ate. She had watched him push his meals round his plate far too many times.

Stepping into Severus' Dungeon Chambers, Florence let herself through the heavy curtain that separated his living and sleeping areas. She restored her things to their proper size and left her bag next to the bed.

When she returned Severus was just straightening up from stoking the fire. The new logs crackled and sparked, they must be damp. Looking at the full basket of logs, Florence realised that the house elves couldn't have brought them in long ago. It wasn't until you thought about it that you realised just how ubiquitous and unseen these helpful little creatures were. It had never seemed sinister to her before her meeting with the headmaster the day before.

"Come here." Severus beckoned.

Finding herself held against his chest, Florence sighed, she had not enjoyed her day.  "How does one obtain a house elf?" She asked.

"You don't obtain them, you inherit them." Severus informed her.

"Did your family ever have house elves?" She asked.

"One." Severus settled his hand in the small of her back. "She went with my sister when she married. Why?"

"No real reason." Florence tried to sound casual. She had not wanted to share her discomfort on this topic with Severus; he had quite enough to be paranoid about. "I had just been wondering about the Hogwarts House elves."

"For a moment, I thought you wanted one."  
Florence wondered at this. If she had a house elf, would it be allowed to work at Hogwarts? If it did, would it also be answerable to Albus? She didn't want to quiz Severus about it.

"No." She dismissed. "I just wondered where they came from."

"The Hogwarts house elves are descended from those of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw."

"Not Slytherin?"

"He left the school after disagreeing with the others about the students being admitted to study magic and took his house elf with him."

"That was when he left the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Quite true,"  
"So, who are the house elves loyal to? Are there any remaining descendants of those three founders?"  
"Not that can be traced." Severus frowned. "They are loyal to Hogwarts."

Still no closer to understanding, Florence decided not to question him further. Looking into his face she asked "How are you?"

Severus let out a short and mirthless sniff of laughter. "Tired," He dipped his head onto her shoulder.

Florence enjoyed the warmth of his cheek against hers. She had stood in the bathroom doorway that morning and watched him shave. He hadn't seemed to notice that she was there, but Florence was too much of a realist to believe that could be true. By now, his cheeks were still smooth but just beginning to regain some of that masculine roughness; they were at their most delicious. She brushed a soft kiss on his jaw line. It was good to know that he could still speak to the woman in her. Florence smiled as she was reminded of her second night in the dungeon when he had fallen asleep on her, getting a little amorous in his unconsciousness. There had never been anything to worry about there. "I have some reading to do. Will you sit with me?"

"Of course,"

Florence settled herself with the new issue of _Comparative Conjuring_ and was reminded after a few minutes of the little note tucked in her robe pocket. She put down the journal and eagerly retrieved the letter.

"Who did you get post from?" Severus surfaced from a potions paper that he seemed to be frowning at a lot.

"It looks like Heather." Florence tore the envelope.

_Florence, _

_Just a quick note to let you know that you need to be at the dressmakers at 5 o-clock on Wednesday evening for your final fitting – only two weeks to go 'till the big day!_

_Heather. Xx_

Florence felt reality return with a crash. It really was only two weeks until Heather and Sirius got married and contrary to how she had felt in the last week, there was indeed a world outside the walls of Hogwarts. A December wedding was very Heather – unique. "I need to go out on Wednesday evening." She told Severus. "Heather is getting married, I have bridesmaid duties."

Severus raised a single eyebrow, "Black?"

"Yes." Florence smirked a little. "Will you come with me?"

"On Wednesday?"  
"No...To the wedding," Florence watched him carefully. He was not likely to be at his most compliant when this tired.

Severus nodded once. "If you want me to accompany you, you only have to ask."

"Thank you." Florence tucked her feet under his leg "It's the weekend after next." She set the note down on the coffee table; she would scribble a quick reply to Heather in the morning before her first class.

Wednesday would be a good time to tell Heather that she had returned to Severus. She would understand; it had only been a matter of time after all.

As Florence tried to find the item she had been reading before she had remembered her letter, she realised Severus was still looking at her.

"Heather won't mind my attending?" He asked.

"Not if I ask." Florence told him.

"And Black?" Severus almost managed to say it without curling his lip.

"It has been my recent observation that where Heather goes, so goes Sirius' nation."

Severus realised that he didn't know a great deal about Florence's relationship with Heather. He didn't know a great deal at all about her life after Hogwarts, aside from the fact that she had qualified as an Auror.

"Have the two of you been friends ever since you were at school?" He asked when she looked up at him from behind her papers. He remembered Heather from those days. If he recalled correctly she had done a rather impressive job of telling him off more than once, not something many non Slytherins would have tried.

Florence nodded with a small smile.

"How long had Heather been in Australia?" He couldn't imagine a friendship transcending that level of separation.

"She moved out there in 1984, there had only been a Wizarding community out there for a few years and their ministry of magic was just finding its feet. They needed good people to help build an infrastructure." Florence explained.

"You were apart for thirteen years?" He observed.

"Heather came home for holidays and occasions, I probably saw her once every couple of years. We have always owled one another too."

"Were you never tempted to join her?"

"To be honest, I've never liked to be in one place for too long. Ever since I qualified as an Auror I have taken on short term projects, helping communities, lecturing, consultancy, the odd find and capture for the Ministry. It took me all over the world and I liked that, I even got to Australia a couple of times."

"And now?" Severus found he had to ask. What if this was short term too? After all he didn't know what she had agreed upon with the headmaster. He realised for the first time that she may not be intending to stay at Hogwarts indefinitely.

"I wanted some security and when Albus offered me this I knew it would provide. I was never certain of how long I would stay," Florence admitted, "although yesterday morning I agreed to a long-term part-time contract. I'll be sharing my teaching duties with Branson and providing the Headmaster with insight into the running of the Auror office." She realised it was long past time to tell him.

Severus couldn't describe the relief that he felt. He lent forward and put the paper he was holding on the table. He used his now free hands to pull one of her feet into his lap.

"I'm sorry I didn't say before." Florence had been so caught up by the other revelations of the meeting that she had forgotten about the most important part.

Severus considered his vulnerability as he straightened the stocking seam that ran along her toes. There had never been anyone with whom he could show weakness without the need to lash out, no one but Florence. It was ironic then that she should be the source of so much of it at the moment.

Three days of unrelenting openness weighed heavily on his nerves. It had tired him more than lack of sleep had ever done, it had been difficult that day to snap back into his classroom persona. He yawned widely and, closing his eyes, leant his head back against the sofa cushions. He didn't seem in any frame of mind to stop though, realising that all he wanted was to be accepted into her embrace. He wanted her to rub his back until he fell asleep.

Depositing her foot back onto the sofa, Severus cleared his throat and stood up abruptly. "Tea?" He asked.

"Please," Florence watched him stiffly make them a pot of tea, feeling truly heinous for not telling him before now that she intended to stay at Hogwarts. She had made him ask. What that must have been like for him she didn't want to think.  She ran her fingers through her hair in agitation, wondering how she could make it right.

Pouring amber tea into two cups Severus wondered at how he would ever cope with a conversation about her family. His attempt to learn more about her past had been undeniably brief before it had all become too much for him. He supposed that there were bound to be things about her that he did not yet know and would cause him to re-evaluate his impressions of her. Whether that be a tendency to move around a lot or revelations about past romantic entanglements, he didn't like to ponder.  He could make no assumptions; he could only talk to her.

Setting the tea pot down with a sigh, he realised she was stood next to him. That was the second time that day she had caught him off guard with her presence. He had realised that morning when he finished shaving that she had been leaning against the bathroom door frame watching him. Had he become so accustomed to her presence? Was it being without her that he found so alien now?

As Florence laid a hand on his sleeve he realised that she would break him down to nothing, one defence at a time, and then with that gentle touch she would rebuild him.

"I should have told you straight away that I intended to stay. I'm so sorry."

Severus collected into his arms. It didn't matter; it only mattered that she were there now. "Take me to bed?" He asked, supposing that surrender was a far faster way to peace.

Florence nodded and pulled back from his embrace. She carried their cups of tea and followed him through the curtains to the bedroom.

He didn't bother undressing, he hadn't the energy, a flick of his wand and he was in a grey floor-length night shirt. Magic would drain him more, but it felt like less of an effort. Setting his wand down next to the bed, he got in under the heavy covers. Florence undressed down to her petticoats and got in next to him, passing him a cup of tea. They sat and drank in silence, cups occasionally chinking on saucers as they both avoided the obvious question. Florence eventually supposed it was her turn to broach the subject. "Do you want to take the sleeping draft?"

Severus wondered what would happen if he kept taking it, kept crawling into her arms at night for her to rub his back until he dropped off. Would it ever end?

Florence waited patiently as he put his cup down and rubbed his face with his hands. She knew he didn't want to but that he was afraid he might not sleep through the night without it. "Perhaps we need some sort of system." She suggested.

"What do you mean?"  
"Well, what if you had one good night sleep with the potion and then one night without, we alternate?" Florence suggested, "And both happen regardless. You can't go without sleep but you also can't rely on that stuff forever."

"What about tonight?" He asked.

Florence wanted Severus to decide but he didn't look in any fit state. "Tonight, you take it. Last night wasn't a good one and you almost look grey."  
"You always know how to make me feel better."

Severus was still able to be sarcastic, he would be fine. Florence allowed herself a small smile as she reached over him for the potion bottle.

Florence lay with him until he dropped off to sleep, then she eased out of bed and set about getting her things ready for the next day. She pulled a chair next to the bed so that she could sit and mark third-year essays and still be close to him, just in case he were to wake, she didn't want him to find her gone.

At ten-thirty Florence joined him in bed, making a pact with herself that the next night she would wake him if he showed any sign of distress, not wait for him to wake her in a state, she would stay awake and sit vigil.

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	2. Chapter 2

After they were Famous – Part 2

The portly witch with a long pointed hat waddled away to find more pins, leaving Florence and Heather behind a curtain together at the back of the dress shop. Florence held up the front of the dress she was wearing to keep things decent until the seamstress returned. Looking up, she saw Heather give her a small smile.

"How are you doing?" Heather asked.

Florence smiled warmly back. They hadn't had a chance to talk since entering the shop, having been immediately pounced on by the over excited staff. "I'm fine." Florence said with conviction. "I went back to Severus on Friday night." She told her friend.

Heather drew her into an awkward hug.

"Mind the pins." Florence warned.

Heather decided not to ask Florence if she were sure, already knowing the answer. "Does that mean I have another addition to my guest list?"

Florence nodded her smile watery.

"Another tricky character to add to an already crazy bunch... I've been nagging Sirius' socks off to help me with a seating plan but I know I won't get any help unless I find a way to turn it into a game."

"I'm sure a charms genius like you can think of something." Florence encouraged, pleased that Heather had chosen to accept her choice of plus-one.

-

The two friends stepped out of the warm dress shop into the crisp winter evening. "I can't believe it's already 3rd December." Heather shivered. "So much has happened since the summer."

She was beaming, Florence noticed. She didn't think she had ever seen Heather look so happy. "Shall we go and get a warm drink before going home?" She suggested.

"Sounds good," Heather said, pulling her winter cloak tighter around her shoulders.

-

Florence and Heather found themselves sat in Leicester square under outdoor heaters, hugging large glasses of mulled wine in their hands in front of a Muggle bar.

"Has it occurred to you haw strange it is... that we have both ended up, well... right back where we started?" Heather asked.

"I don't think we started in Leicester square drinking mulled wine." Florence was deliberately facetious.

"You know what I mean." Heather nudged her oldest friend with her elbow.

"You mean men." Florence still didn't feel up to gossiping too much, but if she had to, it might as well be with Heather. She played thoughtfully with a card coaster.

"Sometimes I feel a little sad about all those years in between." Heather admitted.

Florence hadn't thought about that. She hadn't allowed herself to consider what could have been.  "I don't know," she thought on her feet. "I have to believe that all this has come at the right time."

"Maybe you're right. I know that I wouldn't have coped with this relationship ten years ago. If I hadn't been through all that stuff with Paul, I wouldn't be who I am now. It may not seem like it, but I think I've grown up a lot recently." Heather sipped her wine.

Florence let herself grin. "_You?!_" She said in mock disbelief.

"Yes, _me_!" Heather giggled, gently elbowing Florence again. "And you." She kidded. "I've noticed a distinct lack of bed and bar hopping since you started working at Hogwarts." Heather was still smiling but she was very serious.

"It's not like I had a choice, that place is a veritable prison." Florence shook her head at the injustice.

They sat and sipped their wine, reality peacefully settling over the both of them.

"You're right." Florence said eventually.

"About what?"

"I've wondered several times what made me take the job at Hogwarts. It certainly wasn't the money, that's nothing to write home about, I can tell you. Perhaps I was just finally ready to find out what had happened and put it all behind me."  
"Did you?"

"Some of it, but of course I ended up with a lot more than I intended."

"You knew Severus was there when you took the job?"  
"Of course I did." Florence thoughtfully sipped her mulled wine. "He's not the sort of person I wanted to accidently run into so I had to keep some tabs on him."

"Why didn't you ever mention it to me?"

"I thought you would worry."

"And when you did get involved with him again?"

"You don't know how many nights I sat with a quill poised over parchment; ready to poor my heart out to you." Florence admitted, pulling a spare chair over so that she could rest her left foot on one of its rungs. "The house elves must have thought I was crazy, throwing away a piece of parchment with just your name on it once a week." Florence mind was taken back to the subject of house elves again. Heather would know the answer.

"Every week?" Heather squeaked!

"It wasn't easy to start with, knowing what he had been. Especially considering what that meant to me. Of course to start with, it was meant to be purely recreational... that didn't last long, before I knew it I'd broken Sirius' nose and was in a right mess."

"You broke Sirius' nose!" Heather's eyebrows threatened to join her hair line "Why? He never told me you did that."  
"He told me exactly what I'd been trying not to think about." Florence realised that this evening was supposed to have been about Heather. "I'm not surprised he didn't tell you, he's always been a Gent."

"I prefer to think of it as an intoxicating combination of gentleman and scoundrel all rolled into one." Heather smiled cheekily.

"That's more like it." Florence smiled, "Tonight should be about you, not me and my maudlin..." Florence floundered, not sure what to call her situation, did she have a 'love-life' or a 'relationship', neither seemed to fit very well.

Heather didn't seem to notice that the sentence had lacked a proper ending.

"Nonsense, it sounds like you've needed to talk about it." Heather put her glass down on the wobbly metal table. "It's so festive here. I can't believe I've never been to Muggle London at Christmas time."  
"I love it here," Florence came over a little misty. "We used to have a day Christmas shopping in London every year when I was a teenager." 

"We should make a tradition out of it." Heather suggested.

"I'd like that." Florence sighed in a brief moment of contentment. She had hardly realised how close to Christmas it was. It occurred to her that she hadn't a clue what to get for Severus. It would be his birthday in January as well.

"You look tired." Heather leaned over to touch he friend's arm.

"I am a little." Florence gave a small smile, not wanting to tell Heather she had been up all last night watching over Severus.

"Perhaps we should call it a night." Heather said as she finished her mulled wine.

8888

Florence got back to the castle to find Severus already in bed, the dose of sleeping draft she had left next to the bed drank. She had half hoped he would wait up for her, but was pleased to see him sleeping. He was lying on his back, right in the middle of the bed. She allowed herself a weary smile as she undressed. It occurred to her that down here in the dungeon they had switched sides of the bed. Florence went to the side of the bed that had now become his and got in; it somehow made her feel closer to him.

-

Severus woke up blearily the next morning. Florence's hand was clutching his right arm. He smiled into the room before opening his eyes. The pattern was broken. He had successfully managed to go to bed and sleep the night without needing to be cradled, and she was still there when he woke up. He watched her sleeping, realising that he hadn't had the opportunity to do so since the first morning she had come to the dungeons. She was peaceful and so beautiful he could easily have spent the whole day laying there, taking her in.

He craned his neck to look at the time and realised that they had plenty of it. He shifted a little further under the covers and gathered her into his arms.

Florence made a sleepy sound of protest but settled herself against his chest, tucking her arm around him. He may have been pleased that he had managed to regain a little strength in the relationship, but he didn't want there to be a time in the future when he would have to spend the whole night without her. He thoughtfully kissed the top of her head, thinking for the hundredth time about her sorter hair, it just wasn't the same.

Florence became aware that he was playing with her hair. She breathed in the familiar smell of him. "Is it morning already?" She mumbled.

"Almost."

Florence knew he must be feeling better, he sounded like velvet. The worry lessened a little and she was reminded of laying in similar positions listening to him talk. He had the vocabulary of a scholar and was not afraid to use it when impassioned. Admittedly, it was usually regarding something that had frayed his nerves. She sighed in contentment, they would be fine.

They arrived for breakfast together for the third morning in a row. Severus was starting to feel confrontational when the others at the staff table gave them knowing looks. He had every right to arrive for his meals with whomever he chose, and they had no right to look so pleased about it.

Florence couldn't help but feel under scrutiny. Their togetherness had not gone unnoticed by their colleagues in the last week. There had been mutterings amongst the pupils since the end of the last school year, but that was all just silly gossip. It was only a matter of time though. She wondered what Dumbledore's opinion on members of his staff openly having a romantic relationship was. She didn't relish the thought of being pulled up on their behaviour by the Headmaster. Why had it never occurred to her before that perhaps spending every night in each other's chambers was highly inappropriate behaviour? But then again, why should they be denied this just because of their jobs.

8888

Branson Leggett was making his way very carefully along the icy path to Hogsmeade, the embarrassing not-quite-fall near Hogwarts' gate making him extra cautious. After all, children could be cruel; he'd never live down falling on his ass!

Branson was going to have a stiff drink the moment he got into Hogsmeade, just to warm him up a bit. He was just heading into the Three Broomsticks when something caught his eye at the far end of the road; a tiny black speck heading into a jewellers shop. This was too good to miss; Branson grinned widely and made his way up the slippery road in pursuit.

-

The Jeweller's shop was dark and musty. Only the cabinets filled with adornments from every corner of the globe were illuminated. Severus looked around, letting his eyes adjust from the bright winter light outside.

"How may I be of help, sir?" said the crusty old shopkeeper. "I have a diamond encrusted wand holster, very sought after, or perhaps a golden familiar perch?"

"I want to look at engagement rings." Severus quelled the sales pitch; he had no interest in such frivolities.

"Of course, Sir, of course, I have a wide selection,"

Severus critically perused the selection the wizened shopkeeper had produced in silence while the old man twittered on, ignored. He and Florence had been back together almost two weeks and he'd never been so happy in his life. Florence's trip out with Heather for what she called a 'Hen Party' giving him the opportunity to sneak down to Hogsmeade. Severus was so lost in thought that he didn't hear the small brass bell above the door ring.

"Oh Severus, I didn't realised you loved me that much," said the last voice in the entire world he wanted to hear.

Severus let out a short sigh of irritation. "Run along Leggett, this is private." Or at least that's how Severus had wanted it. He supposed he should have known better than to do it here of all places, but it was the only opportunity he had without Florence being around and he needed to be quick.

"Oh, don't be such a spoil sport, a choice like this is very important; I could help."

"If I wanted help I would have gone to a chimpanzee with senile dementia before asking you."

There were a few silent moments and Severus began looking over another of the selections.

"It's actually been shown that the size of the diamond is directly proportional to the length of the marriage," Branson offered. "I read it in Witch Weekly."

"I should have known, you look just the type to read women's magazines. Looking for fashion tips, were you?" Severus added in a distracted tone.

"No!" Branson retorted, and then wishing he hadn't been so vehement, he sounded disturbingly like one of his fourth year students. "There was a copy in the bathroom of… someone I was visiting, and I happened to peruse it."

"You like diamonds that much?" Severus lifted a suggestive eyebrow; he knew he had Branson digging himself a hole.

"I was on the toilet, if you must know. I'd had a lot of cheese the night before, it was a slow morning. I tend to get bored, **_Ok_**?" He huffed loudly, giving the staring shopkeeper a look as he inwardly cringed. _Why am I being so embarrassing?_ "I'm only saying that you don't want to gamble on getting some tiny little diamond."

Severus turned his head with a deadly sort of calm and said "I had no intention of getting a diamond at all."

Branson sucked in a breath of air, making what can only be described as a worried sound. "Risky."

"If you say so," Severus said in a calculated tone.

"I do, I really think you shouldn't be so rash." Branson ploughed on, his verbal diarrhoea starting to make him feel nervous.

"Look. If you want to marry her, choose your own ring!" Severus roared, knowing full well that if Florence refused him, it would have nothing to do with the ring he had chosen. The shopkeeper retreated to the back room of the shop.

"No need to get your underpants in a twist!" Branson said and let out a long-suffering sort of sigh. "Now you've gone and scared the nice old man! And here I am being supportive in an event that will shape the rest of your life, like your best friend should be, and you're just throwing it back in my face!" He sounded genuinely hurt.

Severus never had been too sensitive to most people's moods. "Best friend?" This was unmistakeably one of those times that Severus made good use of his talent for turning anything into the most vulgar insult you could conceive of.

"Well, yes."

"Would you like to leave now or do you want me to put you out in the street?"

Branson started to wonder what on earth had possessed him to follow Severus into the shop in the first place. He really should get a grip on these whims. They may seem like a fantastic idea to start with but always landed him in trouble. "I was just trying to help." He mumbled dejectedly, looking at his shoes.

Severus turned away from the other wizard, returning his attention to the task at hand, hoping Branson would get board and go away.  He wasn't quite sure what he was looking for but knew that he would know it when he saw it. It needed to be simple. Florence was not fussy or elaborate when it came to adorning herself, he had only seen her wear jewellery once. She didn't need to decorate herself; it was his opinion that she was more radiant and bright than anything that could be found in this dingy little shop. There was one, a clear stone solitaire, most likely a diamond by the price, which appealed to him. Taking it from the velvet cushion inset, he turned it over in his fingers. The shop keeper must have sensed that he was nearing his choice, Severus noticed him hovering in his peripheral vision.

"I will take this one." Severus said, resenting Leggett for witnessing this moment, he shouldn't have got to see the ring before Florence, and he hated that he had chosen a diamond.

The shop keeper came forward, a satisfied look on his crinkled features and took the ring from Severus. "Would you like to purchase the re-sizing charm?" He enquired as he fumbled under the counter for a dusty box.  "The ring will then fit from the moment it is tried on."

"Yes please," Severus humoured him, he would have been able to figure it out himself but it was one less thing to worry about. He was conscious of Leggett craning his neck from the other side of the shop to see what he had chosen; Severus tried to resist the urge to stand in the Irishman's line of site. The shop keeper began writing out a receipt. Severus glanced around him, trying to find something interesting to look at. His eyes eventually fell back to the selection of carefully perused rings still on the counter. Directly below the space once occupied by the ring he had chosen was one he was certain hadn't been there a moment ago. The band was thinner and the stone smaller, but it was all together more striking. The stone was a dazzling blue and reminded Severus of Florence. He looked up to see the shop keeper putting the ring box in a small velvet bag, ready to complete their transaction.

"I wish to change my mind." Severus stated. "I will take this one instead." Severus plucked the dainty ring from its housing and held it out to the shopkeeper, expecting him to show some irritation.

When the shopkeeper smiled sweetly and said "Of course sir, that's no problem." Severus was slightly taken aback.

"Is it Safire?" He enquired.

"No, it is a blue diamond, very rare."

Severus inclined his head to the old wizard, who immediately began altering the paperwork and casting the re-sizing charms on the second ring.

Severus soon realised why the jeweller had been so compliant when faced with his customer's change of heart. The second ring was four times the price of the first.

Branson had sidled over to stand with Severus who was making a valiant attempt to ignore the younger wizard. He could ignore him no longer when Branson coughed violently. "Fuck, Severus! I don't earn that in a year." He exclaimed without finesse.

Severus raised one black eyebrow. "Then may I suggest a change in profession?"

"We have the same profession!" Branson said, his voice high with injustice.

"You think so? I am a certified Potions Master, published countless times, I provide all the school's pharmaceutical requirements and I am Head of Slytherin House. You, on the other hand, are a part-time bogart-catcher."

Branson reeled from this blistering insult, but ultimately had the perfect come-back. "Would you like this degrading opinion shared with your intended?"

"May I suggest that you seem to leave all the hard work to someone else?"

"You can suggest all you want, all I can hear is hasty back-pedalling."

"You wouldn't." Severus forgot about the old wizard with the crumpled face that was asking for his signature.

"You give me far too much credit Severus, I'm as devious as the rest of us."  
"What do you want, Leggett?"

"Oh, I don't know." Branson examined a finger nail carefully. "To stand at your right arm, came the day." He added a cheesy and smug smile as he returned his gaze to Severus' hard face.

"Get out!" Severus barked.

Branson headed for the door, taking this as Severus' tacit approval. "Watch out all you mere mortals, the Dark Man has chosen a queen to serve." He murmured under his breath as the little brass bell above the door signalled his exit.

Severus turned and signed the proffered paperwork with a flourish, taking the ring and slipping inside his robes. He didn't leave the shop in the good mood he had anticipated.

8888

Severus really did cut an imposing figure. Florence watched him stalk down the corridor away from her office and back to his classroom in the dungeon. His cloak billowing behind him, his shoulders hunched defensively, giving him the look of a large and grumpy vulture.

She turned and went back into her office. He had surprised her by stopping by for tea in a timetable gap they both shared. A house elf was already there clearing away their empty cups. Feeling uncomfortable under the little creature's big glassy eyes, Florence went back through to her classroom and began cleaning off the blackboard and setting up for her next class.

Branson came in from the other end of the room and started rummaging in a cupboard along the back wall. "Have you seen any of those mini foe glasses?" He asked. "I wanted to introduce my fifth years to the psychological dangers of observation equipment." He didn't take his head out of the cabinet as he spoke and it made him sound far away.

"You're going to make them all paranoid?" Florence smiled.

"It works very well." He grinned, straightening up holding a dusty box of foe glasses.

Florence kept on preparing her classroom, handing out books so that they were ready for her students. She got to the back of the room and realised Branson was still there and still grinning. "What?"

"Nothing." Branson said airily, "Severus just stopped by?"

"Ye-es." Florence said slowly, wondering what he was fishing for.

"Any interesting news?" he wondered.

"From the dungeons," Florence frowned, "since this morning at breakfast?" Branson had been acting strange for a week. Why on earth was he so interested in them both all of a sudden? Perhaps he was lonely, or bored. "Are you ok, Bran?" She asked, concerned for him. "You've not been out in a while? You've been in the staffroom every evening for a week; do you want to get a drink at the pub tonight?" She invited him, realising that since being back with Severus she had neglected this new friend.

"What? No, no I'm fine." He said hastily. "No, I'm going out actually. Thank you though." He turned on his heel and went back through to his office.

Florence frowned after him. That man would age her before her time; she was going to have a frown line to rival Severus if she wasn't careful.

8888

Later that week the door to Severus' office burst open with a crash. He only just managed to conceal the fact that this had made him jump.

"When are you going to pop the question?" Branson said, waving his arms madly in consternation.

Severus didn't look up from the detention referral form he was filling in. Mr Cavell would be spending the first weeks of the new term cleaning out the owlery. The Gryffindor  had turned up to his lesson with his shoes on the wrong feet and laces tied together, laughing his head off and had tripped, knocking the entire lessons supplies onto an unsuspecting Slytherin girl causing burns that would take weeks to heal. He had then had the nerve to answer back. If Gryffindor didn't win the house cup again for another four years, it would be directly attributable to that one pupil.

"Seriously Severus, every morning I'm trying to get a surreptitious glance at her hand, practically bursting with pent up congratulations, and every morning I'm disappointed."

"How dreadful for you." Severus drawled as he mentally scheduled his conversation with Lauren's parents. He would send her home; it was only two days until the holidays began. That was fortunate considering his Slytherins were likely to look for an opportunity for vengeance. He would have to make numerous visits to the common room between now and the moment they got on the train for their holidays.

"I can't go on like this." Branson interrupted Severus' thoughts again.

"Have you ever considered you may be a witch in a wizard's body?"

Branson pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. He dropped himself into a chair in front of the potions master's desk. "Severus, I want to be prepared. Let me in, please."

Severus looked up at his colleague for the first time, fixing him with a look that would have cowed even one of the Weasley twins. "No."

"Don't tell me you are going to do it over Christmas, you know I have to go to Belfast and be with my mother!" Branson huffed.

Severus continued to ignore him, but extended the duration of Caleb Cavell's punishment.

Branson drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair as he tried to think of some way to coax what he wanted out of Severus. "Are you going to make me threaten you with a bachelor party?"

Severus neatly rolled the detention referral and turned to send it up his office chimney.

"Leggett, I have a class in eight minutes, I haven't eaten since breakfast, a child from my house is in the infirmary with second degree burns inflicted in my classroom and you are getting on my one remaining nerve. Do you really want to pursue this?"

Branson held his steely look.

Severus carefully lifted a single eyebrow, daring the younger wizard to speak.

Branson slowly rose from his chair. "I'll check in with you later." He said in a hushed voice and quietly left the office.

8888

It had not escaped Florence's attention that the great majority of her time scheduled for duty matched that of Severus. Minerva McGonagall was obviously as partial to a little meddling as the Headmaster. They both had the unenviable task of escorting the pupils to Hogsmeade station to be taken home for the Christmas holiday. Hagrid was leading the rowdy crowd up the frosty gravelled road and she and Severus were bringing up the rear, apparently Severus provided quite an effective deterrent to straggling behind.

-

Caleb looked over his shoulder, wincing when he saw Snape glaring at him. He was still smarting from the last time he had house points removed and his impending string of detentions, apparently he had been wearing his shoes on the wrong feet. His eyes widened as he noticed something simultaneously amazing and creepy.

"Hey, did you see that?" He poked his friend Maggie in the arm. She was holding hands with Jack Ivander and looking very mushy about it. Caleb fought his upchuck reflex and poked again, harder this time. "Oi!"

Both heads turned to look at him. "What?"

"Did you see that? Snape smiled at Professor Findal. It was the yuckiest thing I ever saw. It might have ruined the whole of the Christmas holidays, it was that gross!" Caleb waved his arms about in disgust.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Of course he would smile at her, they're an item now. Did you not see the other morning that they came to breakfast together? Very suspect behaviour."

"I didn't see that!" Caleb was shocked.

"Of course you didn't. You were too busy chucking sausages down your throat," Jack laughed.

Caleb screwed up his eyes at him, which is as unpleasant as it sounds. "Poo off, you poo hole."

 "Very mature, Caleb." Maggie intervened. "Stop trying to start an argument, boys. The professors are right behind us, you know, and we don't want them to remove any more house points from us."

Jack sneaked a peek over his shoulder. "Do you think they've had sex?" He shuddered.

Caleb gagged. "Ugh! Can you imagine? Him looming over her like a great big bat – like a vampire bat! – and… Ew! Jack, you are so gross and perverted for even thinking about that!"

"What? I was only saying…"

Maggie was wincing. "I can't believe you just asked that question. I'm scarred for life."

Jack squeezed her hand. "Sorry."

"What? You say sorry to her, but not to me! I'm scarred too, you know!"

"Shut up, Caleb."

"Oh thank God," Maggie sighed. "The train!" The train loomed up in front of them, puffing smoke merrily.

"Yeah, only another few hours to put up with us, trapped in a small train compartment…" Caleb grinned wickedly as they climbed aboard.

-

The train began to chug out of the station, plumes of steam rising and the squeal of metal on metal. Severus watched as Florence turned away from Hagrid and walked back toward him. As the last carriages rushed past them he suddenly felt very sad to think that he had left her here once, not to see her again for so long.

"Are you alright?" She asked, slipping her hand around his elbow and turning them back toward the path to the school.

Severus nodded, squinting into the bright winter sun as it hung low in the sky.

They walked half way back to the castle in silence. "Flo?" He turned to her, his raven black hair flicking in his face.

"What is it?" Florence turned to him.  
"You know that I'm sorry?"

"I know." She nodded. "And you don't need to keep telling me,"

"I wish I could explain better." He confessed.

Their footsteps crunched in the gravel. "After the war was over..." Florence ventured, "Did you ever think of me?"

"Of course I did, all the time."

"And you never considered trying to see me?"

"I never felt I had the right,"

It felt a strange thing to be talking about. "Did you want to?" She wondered.

"I don't know... I do know that I was frightened of how I would feel when I found out Albus had hired you. I expected to feel hideous about myself. I did not handle it well when I found myself attracted to you again." Severus admitted. "You knew I was here and you accepted the position?"

"Of course I knew you were here. You seemed to disappear so completely after school, that when you re-appeared after the war, at your trial, I kept an eye on you. I didn't want to be in a position where I might run into you by accident if I could help it."

"But you took the job?"

"It was the offer of a lifetime, how many people get an owl from Albus Dumbledore offering them the opportunity to teach at Hogwarts? It had been almost a quarter of a century. I reasoned that I shouldn't let something that happened when I was a teenager stop me taking what I wanted."

Severus stopped in his tracks. "Why did you sleep with me?" He hadn't realised how much that question had played on his mind until he asked it.

Wondering where all this seriousness had come from, Florence stopped too and tried to find an answer that it wouldn't take her a week to explain. She supposed that '_I was horny and you made me awfully curious' _wasn't the most tactful response. "Severus, I'm not going to lie. I wasn't looking for anything emotional at the time." She admitted. "I had got very good at getting what I wanted from a man and never letting him get close enough that he could hurt me. When you made it clear that you wanted me, I thought I would be able to do that with you." Florence realised that although Severus had been very open with her in the last few weeks, this was probably her first real admission to him.

He nodded and offered her his arm again, continuing their slow progress back to the castle. "Believe it or not, when I came to you that night, I didn't leave the dungeons intending to sleep with you."

"Really, you seemed fairly focused on it to me? What happened on the way?" Florence smiled, she hadn't realised how comfortable they had become with each other. She was heartened to know she could tease him about this.

"Nothing happened, I simply realised I had nothing to say. It certainly broke the ice." He said, his voice tinged with amused and somewhat bitter irony.

"If you didn't want to sleep with me, what did you want?"

"I didn't say that I didn't want to." Severus gave her a look that could have thawed the crunchy grass verges. "I wanted to be with you, that was all. I didn't much mind how the time was spent."

"You mean I could have set you to work scraping the Drewbles-Best-Blowing- Gum off the bottom of the desks in my classroom while I marked homework and you would have been content?"

He lifted one threatening eyebrow at her. "Even I have my limits."

"Come on, let's get back to the castle, I need a cup of tea." Florence quickened their pace; she was cold and eager to be back.

-

"...And the glumbumble turns to the griffin and says, that's not my antenna." Florence giggled at her own joke and looked up at Severus, his mouth twitched and he shook his head as he turned the door handle and pushed the staffroom door open. She supposed a good belly laugh would have been out of character.

She made a beeline to the back of the room, flicking her wand to light the candles and torches around the windowless little room and put the kettle on.

Severus stood next to her and slipped and arm around her waist. Florence turned to him and lifted an eyebrow. She found herself grinning; the mood between them had never been so light. They might have been alone but he was still being surprisingly affectionate for a public place. Florence spooned tea leaves into the pot as Severus reached past her for cups and saucers.

Everything prepared, Florence turned into his arms, and taking advantage of having him so disarmingly open curled her hands round the front of his cloak and looked up into his angular face. She was suddenly surprised by how long it had been since she had kissed him, they had exchanged little more than a morning peck on the cheek for the last three weeks. Florence leaned into his tall bony frame and Severus dipped his head to unite their mouths. It was unexpectedly exhilarating; Florence wasn't sure whether that was because they had waited, how close they had become or the surprise of it happening in the staff room.

Severus felt her sigh as their lips met. He wondered on how many occasions he would feel as though he were kissing her for the first time. Slipping his hands from her waste to her back, he leaned eagerly into the kiss. It was much less hesitant than their very first kiss, at school. Of course, they hadn't remained hesitant for long. They had kissed for hours until their mouths were sore and swollen in those days. Then he had kissed her in this very room, almost a year ago to the day. That had been a spectacular disaster, just as thrilling, but a disaster none the less; they had come a long way in a year.

Bumping noses, Florence smiled into the kiss and they broke apart. She knew in that moment that when they made love again, whenever that might be, it would be like nothing they had shared before.

When Florence opened her eyes, he was grinning, that crooked smile that showed off a few too many teeth not to be disconcerting. It was also warming by its rarity. The kettle chose that moment to come noisily to the boil. She hid her own pleased smile by turning to wet the tea leaves. Severus kept his arm possessively around her waist, not wanting their closeness to fade.

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A/N:

Hello to anyone that might be reading.  We know this won't appeal to many people as it's a sequel to an old story but if anyone does stop by for a read we would love to know what you thought. So please drop us a review.

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Love and Hugs

Martha & Squirrel


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3:

Florence was starting to tire of Professor Binns and his tales of Hogwarts' first Christmases. The Christmas Eve feast over and the children that remained at school tucked up in bed (hopefully), the majority of the teachers remained in the staff room, eating and drinking. She had eaten her fair share of mince pies and possibly a few other people's as well, but she had drunk little over two glasses of sherry and was just the slightest bit rosy.

Severus had excused himself over two hours ago to check on a potion. Florence knew he was doing it to keep his distance from the festivities. He wouldn't mind her staying, and while it would be nice for him to be there, she didn't really mind him going if it was going to make him sour and miserable to stay.

She excused herself at around ten-thirty and headed purposefully back to the dungeons. Knowing that Severus would not have lied, she took the quickest route to his lab, noticing on her way the little flurries of snow falling outside and making the windowsills white.

Florence moved through his rooms, knowing them fairly well by now. Approaching the archway into the lab, she paused. Severus was bent thoughtfully over a cauldron and didn't seem to be aware of her presence. When she did decide to approach, Severus moved back to note making and examining ingredients. He stilled as she drew near and Florence knew he was aware of her. She put her arms round him from behind and spread her hands on his chest "Is it really that bad?" she asked.

"What?"

"Christmas…? So bad that you have to hide down here."

"I wouldn't sit in the staff room and eat food I don't want and drink alcohol I don't want at any other time of the year. I don't see why I should have to at Christmas."

Florence laid her cheek against his shoulder. "You seem to like my company all year round," she noted.

Severus turned around in her loose embrace. "True," he said quietly.

"Then come and spend Christmas Eve with me."

Severus nodded. "One minute?"

"Of course."

-

He was sat leant back, legs outstretched on the corner seat of their sofa, his boots on the mat by the fire and his eyes shut. Florence took a moment to admire the long length of him as she returned from the bathroom.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to stare?"

He hadn't even opened his eyes. Florence went to sit next to him, taking off her own boots and socks.

"Tell me what it was you had in mind to do." He asked.

Florence realised she didn't really have a clue; she had merely wanted them to be together. She tried to tuck her chilly feet under Severus' legs and continued to watch him for a while, the rise and fall of his chest, the way his eyelids would flicker every now and again.

"Let's go to bed." She suggested, suddenly feeling sleepy.

They both rose and made their way to the bed chamber.

Keeping unwaveringly to routine, Severus was in his dingy grey nightshirt with a barely discernable flick of his wand. Florence hid a smile, he was a creature of habit and she couldn't help but find it strangely endearing. She slipped out of her clothes until she was in just her petticoat and underwear. Eager to be in bed with him, she didn't bother looking for a night gown, but got under the covers as she was. Severus found his way into her arms, as had become his preference.

She stroked his bony shoulders through the thin cotton of his night shirt. Severus shifted them uncomfortably under her touch and nudged his nose against her breasts, he felt tense. As Florence pressed the bump of his spine between his shoulder blades and he elicited a tiny grunt of discomfort.

"Severus." She whispered, trying to prop herself up. "Let me do this properly."

He sat up, face creased with a tired frown.

Florence reached out and started to unbutton his shirt.

Severus sat and watched her concentrate.

It occurred to her, as she revealed increasing amounts of pale chest, that it had been a long time since she had seen any flesh further than his hands and face. She didn't feel that the baths they shared on the odd disturbed night were really comparable.

Severus closed his eyes as her warm hands pushed the shirt from his shoulders, leaving him naked from the waist up. The backs of her fingers stroked the pink, scarred skin that once been hidden by his dark mark. Severus tried hard to resist his compulsion to flinch away. She should be allowed to touch him however she wanted.

"The mark must have been some sort of glamour." She whispered thoughtfully.

"It was more powerful than that." Severus told her, not thinking before he was open with her anymore.

"You tried to remove it?"

"After the Dark Lord fell the first time, Albus tried to help me get rid of the mark. We failed on every attempt. It was created like a brand, but there was magic involved as well, something that bound us all together with Voldemort."

Florence ran the back of her index finger gently over the puckered skin. "It just looks like a burn now, as though only the brand is left. The magic is gone."

Severus looked into caring green eyes as she took in the ugly scar, "look closer." He said, barely audible, and held out his forearm for her to inspect.

Florence did as she was bidden, knowing that he must need to share something.

He watched her, not knowing what to expect from her reaction. It was only a matter of time, now that the dark mark was gone, the scarring it hid was there for her to see, and he had no intension of harbouring any more secrets. Now was as good a time as any for him to show her.

"There is more than just a burn here." She whispered. "Severus, you didn't...?" She trailed off, her eyes lifting to meet his for the first time since she had started undressing him.

"No... I didn't. Poppy thought it had been a suicide attempt, I only ever told Albus the truth. We had tried everything magical to get rid of the mark. I hated it, it itched and prickled and I couldn't stand having bear arms. However irrational this may sound, I felt as though it were looking at me. Every time I saw it was a reminder of what I had been, and because I had pledged allegiance and taken the mark, what I would always be. I was desperate to get rid of it. I reasoned that if magic didn't affect it, then something non magical might work." Severus looked at the row of cuts running beneath the scar of the brand. "I had plenty of implements in the potions lab... I drank the majority of a bottle of fire whisky and in my state of heightened intelligence took a sharp knife to my forearm."

"You tried to cut it out." Florence breathed, ignoring his bitter sarcasm.

"I did not succeed. I passed out before I could achieve any real damage."

Florence found she was constantly realising new levels to his torment. No wonder he had been so ill equipped to deal with his feelings for her, he had spent the best part of the last seventeen years so completely absorbed in his own turmoil. She wondered if any other woman, or man for that matter, had ever made it in far enough to offer any kind of comfort. Had he lain alone here in the cold every night after joining Albus and the Order of the Phoenix?

"And now?" Florence asked, trying not to let him see her pity. She knew that he would not want it. "The magic is gone; I expect Poppy could rid you of the scars in a day."

Severus shook his head. "A lot has changed since then." He pulled his arm back and rubbed his right hand over the area that had been so well inspected. "That is a part of me, a part I shouldn't forget. But at the same time, it has changed, I am no longer bound."

He looked stronger and there was a confident certainty to his words that assured her. Perhaps he really was beginning to forgive himself.

"Lay down" She instructed, remembering her initial purpose.

Severus sighed, sinking down onto his front and slipping his arms under his pillows. If there was one thing that was always guaranteed to affect him, it was when she touched his back. Florence could calm him when he was fractious and sooth his frayed nerves. She had never done this before though.

He turned his head on the pillow so that when he opened his eyes a fraction, he could see her leaning across him, the tops of her breasts plump and intoxicating as more flesh threatened to be revealed every time she leant closer. Her touch started gentle, the satiny fabric of her petticoat brushing at his sides. Feeling his body respond to hers, he wondered if accepting this had been a good idea.

Florence chose that moment to find a nasty knot at the base of his neck and worked it ruthlessly with her thumbs. He moaned in spite of himself.

Florence was determined to be thorough, she would not let him go to sleep wound up as tight as a coiled spring after his starkly honest revelations. She worked across his shoulders, digging in the heels of her hands and waiting until he verbalised his relaxation before moving on.

She was merciless; he would give her that. Already feeling as though he had been skilfully filleted, Severus let his eyes drop shut again. He surrendered to her warm hands as they worked into the small of his back and the brush of her petticoat's soft fabric on his flanks. He felt vulnerably over sensitised and gooseflesh spread from his arms to his ankles and his belly and balls were tightening into a familiar longing. They had not discussed that aspect of their relationship though and he was reluctant to initiate anything she was not ready for.

Florence knew she had relaxed him well; his hoarse grunts of pleasure came quicker now as she worked the last portions of muscle in his back. When she was satisfied that he was sufficiently relieved of tension, she lay down next to him so that they were touching and began to scratch his back, as softly as she could. She wanted to treat him to something relaxing.

 Severus dragged in a ragged breath as her fingernails travelled so lightly over his already tingling skin.  He quickly became uncomfortably and insistently hard. Turning to hide his face in his pillow, he moaned out this strange mixture of pleasure and uncertainty.

Florence stilled her hand, realising his new frustration as he carved out a fresh frown and turned his face into his pillow.

A moment or two of stillness too long and Severus rolled over to face her, his only other choice was to turn away and shut her out. He wouldn't do that.  He brought his right arm up to cover his eyes and lay vulnerably on his back. He felt that he didn't trust himself to look at her fully. Florence reached out to take his hand away. "Don't hide from me." She whispered, sounding much different than when she had told him to lie down. There was now a quaver in her voice.

As she took his arm away Severus found himself captured in her eyes and squeezed her hand tightly with his. "It wasn't my intension to hide."

Florence felt her breath catch as she was presented with him; his pale cheeks flushed pink with arousal, his erection tenting the night shirt that was pooled at his waist. In that moment the room seemed very still, the air about to crackle with magic. All she was aware of was their two bodies, both warm and vibrating with proximity. Looking down at him and feeling her body answer his; she leaned down to unite their mouths in a kiss. His face twitched in uncertainty just before the distance was closed and Florence paused. "I'm sure about this." She whispered, her breath tickled his lips. "I'll understand though, if it's not right yet," she told him, in truth not certain what she would do if he refused her.

Overwhelmed with desire and the relief that she felt the same way, Severus slipped his hand into her hair and lifted his head eagerly off the pillow to complete the union of their mouths.

Florence was totally disarmed by the warmth of him and the sudden hollow aching to be filled. Her body fit itself down the long, lean length of his all of its own accord as they lay in several moments of gleeful surrender, feeding on each other's need.

Enjoying hot skin through soft satin against his bare chest, Severus wriggled to rid himself completely of his night shirt.

Florence reluctantly sat up, her body protesting the momentary requirement to be apart from his, and pulled her petticoat over her head, hastily taking off her underwear and reaching for the bed covers to guard against the dungeon cold.

She gently pushed Severus back down onto his back and lent over him for more eager, open mouthed kisses. As Florence manoeuvred herself above him, Severus squirmed, unable to stop himself from moaning wantonly into her mouth, the kisses alone almost too much for him.

Florence propped herself up on one elbow to look down him, her other hand ensuring a smooth coming together. They were still again. He pulled his legs up behind her and wound his arms around her back.

And in those few minutes of clumsy, uncertain love making, they re-discovered each other. Unfussy and taking no great time, neither Florence nor Severus would have changed it in the slightest. It was no longer a desperate and futile attempt at communication; it had been an expression of something a long time coming.

Finding out that he liked it very much when she whispered his name was a simple pleasure Florence couldn't believe she had been yet to discover.

Staring up at her after, Severus couldn't understand how anyone could be so stupid as to believe there was a magic more powerful than feelings like these.

They lay as intimately connected as two people could be for a long while, the weight of her body in his arms comforting and consuming as they rested, spent against each other until she eventually eased away. Florence shifted and wriggled further down under the covers, he manoeuvred her against him more comfortably. Florence pulled their blankets high round their shoulders so that the wonderful heat of their glowing bodies would not escape.

It might have been snowing outside, but down in the dungeons it was safe and warm.

-

Waking up a little later, still wrapped in Severus' nude embrace, Florence smiled. They were still aglow from their coupling; body's wonderfully sticky with sweat and hot from proximity. He inhaled deeply, then his eyelids flickered open.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" She inquired as he let out his breath in a long sigh.

Severus didn't answer, merely leant forward, his eyes falling shut again, and brushed his lips over hers. She responded, kissing him back, playing gently with the back of his neck.

"You surprised me earlier" He murmured, as they broke apart.

"I take it the surprise was welcome?" Florence tucked his hair behind his ear, her eyes meeting with his, their black depths alive with pleasure.

"Unexpected but most welcome." He kissed her again, feeling utterly euphoric, so happy he thought his heart might burst.

Florence grinned into his kiss, smudging their noses together as their lips became disentangled, and when he murmured "Merry Christmas" it took her a moment to realise what he was talking about. She had lost all concept of the time of year, the time of day, all she knew was that they were together.

-

Severus woke to darkness; cocooned in her warmth and familiar scent. He sighed in drowsy contentment, pulling himself up, becoming more aware of his surroundings. He was sprawled across her; his head beneath her breast, there was only just enough light offered by the candles, almost burnt to their ends, for him to see her. She slept peacefully; her hair messed up at the back from her pillow, her face relaxed and beautiful. The memories of the night before still fresh in his mind, Severus gazed up at her as she slept. He felt good all the way through; as though his body believed their coupling had been long over-due. He bowed his head back down and breathed her in, placing a kiss on her breastbone.

He wondered if love making on Christmas morning was out of the question… _The Question!_

Severus pushed himself up, and forced himself to get out of bed. He had things to do before she woke. He was infinitely careful not to wake her as he moved away from around her and out from beneath the heavy covers.

-

Florence woke to a warm bed and a glowing body. Keeping her eyes closed, she relived her last memories before going to sleep and smiled. Sighing in contentment as she opened her eyes, Florence realised she was alone. The fire crackled like it had been freshly tended to and there were a couple of candles lit. Severus couldn't have gone far. She looked around for a layer to put on and went in the bathroom.  

-

Florence was almost done in the bathroom when Severus came in through the bathroom door. He started to undress and joined her under the shower.

Florence spluttered as she found herself placed directly back under the steady stream of hot water, then stepped out, smoothing her hair back, giving Severus a look of mock affront. He turned her round and started to shampoo her hair. "Severus, I've already done that." She scolded.

"I want to do it again."

She soon forgot her initial distaste at being immediately drenched as the attention from those long slender fingers brought her recently sensitised body back to full awareness.

When he was done he stood back and let her rinse thoroughly. She was smiling and he just felt stupid with happiness. Never one to go overboard on being expressive, Severus tried to keep his face under some semblance of control.

As Florence finished smoothing her hair back Severus understood what he wanted. He took a small step closer to her. "Would you wash my hair?"

Florence blinked. "Severus?"

"I trust you."

"I know you do, but you don't have to do this, I know how you feel about it."

"It's foolish."

"It's not, I've told you that twenty times. I don't think it's stupid."

"That's why I know it's safe. You will stop if I want you to."

Florence noticed how he always stood just out of the line of the shower water so it didn't get his head wet; he was conditioned to it. He couldn't stand it and she didn't want him to feel like he had to. "Are you sure?" She asked.

He nodded.

Florence stepped out of the stream and turned him around, pushing him back under the water, taking his chin and tilting his head back. "Shut your eyes." She whispered.

"I'd rather not." His voice was a mask of calm.

Severus had told her when they were in school why he was the way he was when it came to the cleanliness of his hair. The first time he'd shown signs of magic it had saved his life. He'd been held under the water in the bath by his nanny and had never been able to bear getting his head wet since. Florence didn't think this was at all unreasonable; she'd had a friend in primary school that had almost died when she was born as she had her umbilical cord around her neck and had never been able to wear a scarf despite, of course, not remembering her birth. 

Florence ran her fingers through his hair, lifting it off the back of his neck and trying to wet it as quickly and efficiently as possible. She reached for the shampoo and applied generous amounts in hope of getting a quick lather without having to try again.

Severus eyes eventually fell shut and he finally found something to do with his seemingly useless hands. He lent against the wall with one and let the other settle on her hip. She was quick and thorough, for which he was very grateful.

Florence found herself almost enjoying this intimacy; she'd enjoyed him lathering her up so much that she nearly forgot herself as she pushed him back under the water to rinse his hair. She leant in to kiss him under the stream of water, and had to change her mind at the last minute on seeing his grimaced expression. Renewing her efforts to be quick, Florence felt a pang of guilt at how much she and her body were enjoying this when his genitals had threatened to retreat completely.

"All done," Florence murmured when she'd rid his hair of the last of the shampoo.

Severus sighed audibly and Florence handed him his wand, with which he immediately performed a drying charm. Florence saw the tension drain out him as the sensation of wet hair was taken away.

They took their time washing each other and Florence left the bathroom feeling squeaky clean and towelling her hair dry. She had left Severus trying to charm the mirror, so that it would stop steaming up and he would be able to have a shave. She found breakfast laid out on a table pulled between the chairs in front of the fire next to their bed. She had told him weeks ago that she wanted breakfast in bed on Christmas morning. He must have gone to get it and found her already up when he returned.

Florence cast her usual set of charms on her hair, found her underwear, a petticoat and a dressing gown and sat herself down to investigate the spread. She hadn't realised how hungry she was.

"Is this what you had in mind?" Severus asked, seeing her arranging cups on saucers ready to poor them both tea.

"Thank you." She looked up and smiled at him.

Severus felt himself get nervous. His palms sweaty for the first time he could remember. He tried to wipe them discreetly on his shirt while Florence concentrated on pouring them tea. She sat down, pushing her hair off her face and looking happily up at him. She was so beautiful, and so happy. She had no idea.

"Shouldn't we be eating with the rest of the staff?" Florence asked.

"I requested that we be allowed to breakfast in private." Severus told her, wondering when the moment was going feel right. "We only have three pupils between us; Albus said he or another member of staff would cope with any arising concerns." Severus sat opposite Florence.

He knew what it was like to be nervous, even terrified, so frightened he didn't know how to move. This was different. He was in no immediate fear for his life, yet his heart was pounding and the thought of eating any of the food that lay in front of him seemed impossible. Rubbing his hands on his thighs, Severus wondered if she would notice how agitated he was. What would happen if she said 'no'; could they survive something like that? Would she move back up to her chambers? Would it mean the end of the relationship? For the first time since the notion of marrying Florence had occurred to him, Severus considered not asking.

"I did something for you as well." She announced, interrupting his reverie and getting up from the table with a bounding enthusiasm.

Severus pondered if he would even get the opportunity to ask; the morning had so far not followed his plans in the slightest. Remembering her wet and naked in the bathroom, he appeased himself with the notion that the twists were, at least, turning out to be favourable.

It didn't occur to him to wonder what Florence might have done. She handed him an envelope and he opened it without considering what might be inside. Pulling out the contents, still thinking more about the not in his stomach, he found a booklet. It was about a conference on 'The application of Potions in the art of Defence' with little pictures of the speakers waving at him from the front cover. Lodged inside were two admission passes.

Severus was momentarily stunned. "I have never been able to get access before. Not being a member of the Dark Arts Defence League." He murmured, to himself as much as to Florence.

"Well, now you know a girl that is." She grinned and reached across the table for a slice of toast. "Besides, I thought you might enjoy the opportunity to pick Ivan Mendelson to pieces." She said, the side of her mouth twitching happily. "He's speaking in one of the panel sessions." Severus always had something derogatory to say about the man's pieces in potion journals. Florence knew for a fact that the two had never met so Severus' opinions of him as a potion maker were probably quite accurate, if not a little floral.

Knowing that whatever happened in the moments that followed would be the right thing, Severus reached in his pocket for the box that held the ring he'd chosen. He slipped out his chair and onto the floor in front of her, opening the ring box. He realised that it didn't much matter what she said, he wouldn't hear her anyway; all he was aware of was the sound of blood rushing in his ears.

"Will you be my wife?"

One minute she'd been feeling smug about the conference passes, smirking at the thought of him matching intellectual swords with someone he delighted so much in criticising. Now he was kneeling there, his hair starting to look fluffy where she had washed it for him. She stared open mouthed.

Florence still had a partially eaten slice of toast half way to her mouth. She put it down and slid from her chair, awkwardly wrapping her arms around him. She didn't have a clue what to do. It had never occurred to her that they might get married.

Severus remembered to breathe as she squeezed him in a hug. After at least a minute he managed to say, "I'm going to need an answer before I have an aneurism."

Florence chuckled against him, and then she pulled away, her face intently serious "It's so sudden." She breathed. "I mean, last night... that was the first time since...Well, since we were in Australia." It felt like a lifetime ago.

"I didn't know that was going to happen, I wasn't waiting." He hastened to tell her, she had to understand. "I didn't know if we would ever be like that again. I just don't want there to be a time in the future when I'm not by your side." Severus realised that he was rather rushing things. "I'm sorry." He looked away, not knowing what to do. He couldn't take it back now.

Florence wasn't sure of very much but she knew that he didn't need to be sorry. She took his hand that held the ring box and brought it up so she could see. "It's a beautiful ring." It really was, Florence felt goose bumps shiver up her arms, and he'd chosen it for her.

"I hoped you would like it."Severus looked up to meet her eyes, he couldn't help himself.

He couldn't describe how surprised he was when Florence leant forward, pressed a kiss on his lips and wrapped her arms around him.

"Yes." She whispered. It felt right. If the last year had taught her anything, it was that it was still alright to follow your heart. "Yes, I'll be your wife."


End file.
